Re: virus: What is man?

Tim Rhodes (proftim@speakeasy.org)
Wed, 2 Jul 1997 10:04:00 -0700 (PDT)


On Mon, 30 Jun 1997, David McFadzean wrote:

> How about this: what aspect of one's identity has the possibility
> of surviving physical death? The meme-set of course. Is it possible
> that spiritualists have been talking about memesets all along
> (applying the recently described Discipline of Translation)?

Very possible. It would explain traditions for honoring the dead as part
of the viral shell of this meta-meme. Remembering or praying for the
"spirit" of those who've passed on becomes an instruction to the current
generation to preserve the meme-set of the former. Sort of a contract
between generations: I'll keep your spirit (memes) alive after you're gone
in hopes that my children will keep mine alive after I'm gone. A sort of
Social Security of the memes. (But hopefully more secure!)

-Prof. Tim